Background...

Marvels is a lookback at the early years of the Marvel Universe (both Golden
Age and Silver Age), but it is not simply a re-telling, it is showing the
stories from the perspective of the average citizen; namely Phil Sheldon. Phil
is a photographer who has been involved with super-heroes ever since the 30's
and the days of the original Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Captain America, Bucky
etc. He's watched as the heroes of the Silver Age (the FF, Avengers and of
course Spider-Man) emerge as the successors to the old "Marvels" (Phil's name
for the super-heroes). The public have showered the Marvels with praise and
acclaim and the heroes have turned into celebrities with everyone wanting to
read more about them everyday. We are now up to the mid-silver age and the
coming of Galactus...

Only two months have passed since the wedding of Reed and Sue Richards but
already the public adoration of the Marvels is fading. Phil Sheldon has been
paired with Ben Urich to write an article that slams Tony Stark in a 'hard-
hitting and uncompromising' way. Phil knows that this article will ruin the
sales of his new book (titled "Marvels", that collects hundreds of Phil's
pictures of the super-heroes). Stark himself is in trouble with the government
over the identity of Iron Man and his company's activities. (I'll admit my
knowledge of this Stark vs. Washington event is simply drawn from the two
pages this book focuses on it as I've barely read any Iron Man comics).
Overall, the heroes that only a few months ago people were showering with
praise now seem to be being publicly criticised and attacked every day.

Phil goes out on a family trip to the zoo where his mind is more focused on
work. Suddenly, water starts forming from nowhere and seems to stretch for
miles in the distance. A crackpot starts raving about how "the end is coming!"
and there will be "three signs then the end".

But the world continues on and the criticism of the Marvels keeps coming.
Spider-Man is accused of attacking Jonah Jameson, the Fantastic Four caused a
whole building to collapse in a battle against The Dragon Man and The Hulk
attacks Washington. Phil is beginning to lose faith in his Marvels. Perhaps
they weren't the glorious heroes he once thought they were? Perhaps he had
misjudged them and they were really something much darker.

But the next day Phil's mind is distracted from this when the entire sky over
New York suddenly lights up into fire. Everyone is panicking but as soon as it
began it was over. But the fire is replaced by hundreds of fragments of rock
floating over the city and the arrival of the mysterious Silver Surfer. Phil
begins to think that the crackpot at the zoo was right and judgement day is
here. Then...Galactus arrives. The city is thrown into chaos; a mix of
confusion and fear. The FF arrive but from where Phil, and the rest of New
York, is watching it seems they have lost and nothing can stop Galactus.

Phil rushes home to his family, through streets of people who either do not
know what is happening or who believe that the world is ending. Finally, Phil
makes it home and watches the dramatic events from there. All of a sudden
though, Galactus is defeated. Nobody knows exactly what happened and the news
keeps on showing Reed Richards holding up a strange device that seemed to
cause Galactus great alarm and then he quickly departed. Phil's faith in the
Marvels has been re-affirmed and he expects the Fantastic Four to be hailed as
mighty heroes who saved the planet from doom. He expects statues built in
their honour and bridges and mountains named after them. Instead, Galactus is
called a hoax and the FF get no thanks. Phil is amazed at how people can turn
against the heroes that just saved them from extinction.

Phil is even more disgusted at Peter Parker when Peter offers J.J. photos of
Spider-Man "that make ol' Spidey look terrible". Phil explains that the whole
city seems embarrassed of the fear they felt and they were taking it out on
the Marvels. As Phil is enjoying dinner with his family he is called out to a
story in Washington. As he walks to a cab, a group of people are criticising
the X-Men; which sends Phil over the edge. He shouts at the people and
blasts "what do you need?! The world to actually end?!". He's appalled at
their lack of gratefulness to the Marvels and tells them to "look up for once
in your lives" as he points upwards to the Baxter Building.

In General...

The handling of the classic Galactus story from the point of view of the
public here is nothing short of brilliant. Kurt Busiek excellently captures
the sense of confusion, terror and ultimately powerlessness of the average
citizens as the FF battle Galactus. Nothing is ever explicitly explained about
what the FF actually did to defeat Galactus and that is exactly how the
citizens would have seen it. They didn't know what is happening and they can
only watch as the planet is brought to the edge of annihilation, and that side
of the story is wonderfully executed by Busiek. This isn't simply a re-telling
of the Galactus story, it's showing the events in a new and interesting light,
showing the very realistic reactions to such huge events.

Busiek also shows the public turning on the 'Marvels' very well and shows Phil
Sheldon questioning his faith in them very realistically. Nothing about this
side of the story ever feels forced or unnatural and Phil lashing out at the
critics of the Marvels is the perfect way to round the story off. He's in
utter shock that the people that just saved their lives are now being
criticised.

The art by Alex Ross is astounding. Never have the heroes and villains of the
Marvel Universe looked so real and the world around them seem so alive and
realistic. The splash pages of the battle against Galactus are absolutely
amazing and contrast well against the human side of the story as Phil is
returning to his family. Every panel of art is ultra-detailed and looks
spectacular. You can't really describe Alex Ross' art without seemingly
descending into hyperbole but it really is breathtaking.

Overall Rating...

The story is a very well-written and interesting take on classic Marvel
stories, all woven together to form a real world. The public and Phil's
reaction to Galactus and the Marvels is realistic and natural and the great
painted art really is the icing on the cake. A superb issue in every way.
Easily five webs.

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